Disproportionate assets case: Jagan's bail plea rejected

Hyderabad: A CBI court on Wednesday dismissed the bail plea of YSR Congress leader YS Jaganmohan Reddy in the alleged disproportionate assets case. The special CBI judge here dismissed one of his bail petition while adjourned hearing on another bail petition to November 30.

The Kadapa MP, currently under judicial remand and lodged in the Chanchalguda Central Prison here since his arrest on May 27 by the CBI on corruption charges, had on November 16 filed two separate pleas seeking bail.

The CBI has so far filed four chargesheets against Jagan and others in as many cases.

Opposing the fresh bail pleas of Jagan, CBI deputy legal advisor Balla Ravindranath had last week argued that the petitioner was not entitled to get any relief at this stage in view of the Supreme Court order, which upheld the submissions of the central agency that the investigations were still on in connection with seven more cases.

"The petitioner is misguiding this court regarding the grant of bail despite clear orders of the Supreme Court," Ravindranath contended and further submitted that in view of the orders passed by the Supreme Court on October 5, "the accused cannot give a different interpretation of the order" and the bail petitions are not maintainable in law and liable to be dismissed.

Jagan's counsels, however, contended that their client was eligible for enlargement as the CBI had failed to file the charge sheet with regard to the seven distinct offences referred to by the apex court even after the stipulated 90-day period.

Earlier, on October 5, the Supreme Court had dismissed Jagan's bail plea in the disproportionate assets case. In another bail petition, Jagan further alleged that discriminatory arrests have been affected by the CBI, as Andhra Pradesh Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao (accused no 6 in the case) has not been arrested and continues to be at liberty though it is specifically alleged that he was instrumental in the commission of the offence.

While dismissing Jagan's bail petition, the apex court had ordered that the petitioner was open to renew his bail before the trial court "on completion of the investigation by the CBI in the seven cases."

The CBI has so far filed four chargesheets against Jagan and others in as many cases. It has accused him of getting huge investments from various individuals and firms into his businesses as quid-pro-quo for the favours granted by the government, when his father (late YS Rajasekhara Reddy) was the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister.